Elderly Members Research Articles

Cooking fuel decision-making and family structure: a field study in China.

Household air pollution caused by solid fuel use for cooking is prevalent in rural China and generates various environmental and health problems. Various potential impact factors on cooking fuel decision such as income, education, modern energy, and infrastructure are examined. However, the role of family structures has been ignored. A survey on household energy consumption pattern interrelating socio-economic and demographic factors was conducted in ten villages in Northern China using stratified random sampling technique. The number of family member eating together influences households' cooking fuel decision-making significantly. The numbers of school-age children and family members under 6 and above 60years old have no significant influence on the household's cooking fuel decision-making respectively. Compared with families with neither child nor the elderly, those with no child but at least an elderly member have 0.103 lower probability of choosing clean fuels as their primary cooking fuel. Hence, the elderly owns a heavyweight in the household fuel decision-making process in rural China, and the government should formulate policies more in line with the background of the times to deal with rural energy issues.

Have cash transfers succeeded in reaching the poor in Latin America and the Caribbean?

AbstractWe present original estimates of the quality of targeting of conditional cash transfer (CCT) and non‐contributory pension (NCP) programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our contribution is novel because we use both national and international poverty lines; provide differentiated estimates for urban and rural areas; and compare the CCT and NCP programmes. We show that leakage to the non‐poor coexists with pervasive under‐coverage of all poor, including the extreme poor. On average, the CCTs cover only 50.5% of the extreme poor in households with children under 18 years of age. Similarly, the NCPs cover only 50.9% of the extreme poor in households with elderly members who do not receive a contributory pension. At the same time, 40.4% of CCT beneficiaries and 50.1% of NCP beneficiaries are not poor, highlighting the potential need for re‐targeting and re‐certification. In most countries, re‐targeting could produce a substantial double benefit in terms of poverty reduction and fiscal savings.

A Review Study on Different Plants in Malvaceae Family and Their Medicinal Uses

In this investigation, a total of 5 species under 5 genera belonging to the malvaceae family were mentioned. In this study Taxonomy and traditional medicine practices on Malvaceae family of Chittagong, Bangladesh was carried out. The plants which were used by local people, were surveyed and collected . The members of this family have mucilaginous substance. Stellate hairs are usually present on their young parts. Flower Bracteate/ ebracteate, Bracteolateor Ebractiolate, Pedicellate, Dichlamydeou Spentamerous, complete, actinomorphic, regular, bisexual and hypogynous. Out of the total number of species Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet., Hibiscus esculentus L., <i>Hibiscus mutabilis</i> L., Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L., were common and <i>Gossypium herbaceum</i> L. was rare species in the study area. Detailed survey has made in gathering information regarding use of medicine has been documented. Usually, the survey in each locality started with the interview of elderly and experienced members, locally known as Hakims. Besides, this the common people of the surveyed localities who themselves have used these plant based for health treatments were interviewed to prove veracity of the curative features of plants. Medicinal uses and data about the treatment of various alignments based on the information gathered by using questionnaires are given subsequently. For each species botanical name, local name, habit, habitat, phenology, status of occurrence, and medicinal uses have been mentioned.

Populating Aging in Rural India: Implication for Agriculture and Smallholder Farmers

The research attempts to document the effects of rural aging in India by examining theassociation between aging andagriculture using rural households as a target group. Key agricultural activitiesperformed by farmers, self-reported andobserved physical intensity of those activities, and their distribution across age, amongother aspects, are explored indetail. Semi-structured questionnaire and fitness trackers, along with the standarddescriptive statistics and regressionanalyses were used to collect and analyze data within Lakhisarai district. The resultsshow at what age are farmersmost and least active before retiring (18-24 and 35-39 age groups, respectively), atwhat age does their involvement inagriculture begin to notably decline (60-64 age group), what are the most oftenperformed agricultural activities(planting, irrigating, and harvesting), and which ones are considered difficult(transporting, weeding, and harvesting).The results also highlight the position of elderly household members as net negativecontributors, along with theirpresently modest share in the population. Inequality in income, land, and machineryownership, however, ishighlighted as a more immediate concern to any programme aimed at mitigating thenegative effects of rural aging.Lastly, the use of fitness trackers is justified as correlated measured and reportedintensity of select agriculturalactivities indicates the potential for practical use.

Impact of out of pocket payments on financial risk protection indicators in a setting with no user fees: the case of Mauritius

BackgroundMauritius embraces principles of a welfare state with free health care at point of use in any public facilities. However, the health financing landscape changed in 2007 when Private Health Expenditure (PvtHE) surpassed General Government Health Expenditure. PvtHE is predominately out of pocket (OOP) with only 3.4% related to premiums for private insurance. In 2014, Household OOP Expenditure on health accounted for 52.8% of total health expenditure. OOP is known to be regressive and to impact negatively on households’ living standards.ObjectivesThis paper aims to examine trends in OOP in Mauritius, to assess its impacts through an analysis of key indicators of financial protection, namely catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and impoverishment due to OOP health expenditure. It also aims to predict core determinants of CHEs.MethodsHousehold Budget Surveys (HBS) of 2001/2002, 2006/2007 and 2012 were the primary source data. CHE and impoverishment were used to assess financial hardships resulting from OOP health payments. The incidence of CHE was estimated at three threshold levels (10,25 and 40%), using the budget share and the capacity to pay approaches. Impoverishment due to OOP was measured by changes in the incidence of poverty and intensity of poverty using the US$ 3.1 international poverty line. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify determinants of CHE.FindingsHousehold CHE increased from 5.78% in 2001/02 to 8.85% in 2012 and 0.61% in 2001/02 to 1.25% in 2012, for 10 and 40% thresholds, respectively. The incidence of CHE was significantly higher in urban areas compared to rural areas. The highest levels of CHEs were among households’ heads, who are retired rising from 1.62% in 2001/02 to 3.71% in 2012, followed by households’ head who are widowed from 2.29% in 2001/02 to 2.63% in 2012 and homemakers from 2.12% in 2001/02 to 2.57% in 2012 at the 40% threshold. The share of households pushed below the poverty line due to OOP dropped from 0.4% in 2001/02 to 0.2% in 2006/07 before rising to 0.34% in 2012. In 2012, poverty gap occurred only among households under poorest quintile 1 (0.24%) and quintile 2 (0.03%). Overall poverty gap dropped from 0.08% in 2001/02 to 0.05% in 2012. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratio of facing CHE were significant only among households with heads being retired and with a presence of an elderly member in the household.ConclusionDespite the rise in incidence of CHE between 2001 and 2012 the impact of OOP on the level of impoverishment and poverty gap has not been significant.

Walking in circles: Dancing with shadows – Choreo-cartography as a strategy to explore and embody ephemeral mnemonic geographies

How might strategies of choreographic embodiment generate cartographies of a ‘shadow city’? How might the deconstruction and exploration of memory reveal that which can no longer be seen? This article explores specific elements of a site-responsive PaR process based in Berlin from 2012 to 2015 that explored ‘reading’ and writing the experience of the city as a corporeal spatial practice. This research created a platform in which participants deconstructed the environment in which they lived in order to (re) construct a heightened sense of sensitivity to the embodied experience of being in time and space. The article articulates how this was achieved through the creation, implementation and evaluation of a dynamic series of choreographic, cartographic and visual practice workshops in which I collaborated with elderly members of the city and young dancers in professional training. Through a combination of reflexive writing and the presentation of project materials (including reflection upon the materials which this study generated in the form of poetic reflection, choreographic scores, interview footage hand drawn maps and images) the article reflects upon the landscape of the city as an active archive for memory of unmarked and marked ground. It scrutinizes samples and performance traces of my socio-ethno choreographic field research. It frames the narratives, memories and improvisations gathered through this research, and explores how a sustained artistic process of dialogue and interpretation augments a specific form of cultural knowledge by generating a systematic vision and perspective of the city as a form of embodied memory and knowledge. The body in the city acts a vessel to carry, contain and interact, forming routes and navigations through the immediacies of its encounter ...

Transitions from dirty to clean energy in low-income countries: insights from Kyrgyzstan

ABSTRACTAir pollution from the burning of fossil fuels in developing counties is a global challenge due its climate change and health effects. Dirty fuel and air pollution have become a serious issue in many Central Asian countries. This article studies the factors that affect household decisions to transition from dirty energy to clean modern fuels using panel data from Kyrgyzstan. The article argues that the choice of fuel depends on a number of endogenous and exogenous factors. Contrary to the conventional wisdom of the ‘energy ladder’ hypothesis, high income does not lead to a full switch to modern fuel, but rather facilitates the transition to consumption of energy from multiple fuel sources. Factors that increase the chances of full fuel transition are education and access to gas. By contrast, the number of elderly family members and size of the house negatively affect the transition to clean energy use.

Attitudes and beliefs of Spanish families regarding their family members aged 75 years and over who live alone: a qualitative study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the attitudes and beliefs of Spanish families regarding their elderly family members aged 75 years and over who live alone, with consideration of gender and...

The Rise and Demise of America’s Psychiatric Hospitals: a Tale of Dollars Trumping Sense

The Rise and Demise of America’s Psychiatric Hospitals: a Tale of Dollars Trumping Sense

WITH THE DIVERSITY IN PERCEPTION OF CAREGIVER ROLES, EDUCATING HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, ENGAGING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IS EVEN MORE ESSENTIAL TO PROMOTE QUALITY CARE: Session 320

Compared to few decades ago, the diversity in the elderly patient population and their caregivers has significantly increased and so has the diversity in ethnicities of healthcare providers in the geriatric psychiatry work force. Given this cultural diversity, there is an exponentially greater chance that clinical encounters will occur between individuals of different origins. Multiple studies have shown that caring for an elderly family member with health problems can be associated with negative health outcomes but our understanding of how caregivers from different cultural backgrounds are differentially affected by caregiving is limited. They all have different perceptions about caregiver burden and capacity to accommodate caregiver burden or resilience. During this session, we will use review subjective caregiver burden, prevalence, variations noticed in the subjective burden and the common factors that affect caregiver burden like nature of the illness, degree of disability, relationship of the patient with the caregiver, age and gender of the caregiver. We will go over some case scenarios where it was tough to counterbalance the health and well-being of the caregiver with the rights of the elderly patient. The session will describe the individual meaning of the stressful care situation, analyzing the abilities and resources that caregivers have to cope with the stressful situation. We often notice that the attitudes or decisions of the professional is influenced by their own cultural roots and can become an additional level of discord and complexity to a case. We will talk about the cultural diversity of the healthcare professionals, generational attitudes of the newer healthcare professionals and how that might impact the care of the elderly patient and the caregiver who come from a different generation. Learning how to communicate across different generations is enriched by engaging families and communities early on in the process. This promotes quality care for our elderly patients. Through case illustrations, we will talk about the importance of educating and engaging all parties involved so that we understand the variations in caregiving, different styles of using social support and coping styles. The sooner we understand these concepts, the easier it is to help engage for a positive change. The first case involves a patient who is an 87-year-old Caucasian male with mild neurocognitive disorder and his wife, who was the patient's primary caregiver, was unable to care for him and insisted on him being sent to a locked memory unit. Although the patient did not have significant behavioral issues and was able to perform his activities of daily living, his wife perceived the burden of caregiving to be greater than she could undertake and was insistent on long-term placement. We will talk about her perception, different healthcare professional's attitudes towards the situation and how education and training helped improve the quality of care provided to the 87 year old gentleman. The second case involves a patient who is a 75-year-old Caucasian male with Parkinson's disease and associated neurocognitive disorder whose primary caregivers are his wife and adult son. This patient had significant behavioral issues including verbal aggression, was tough to redirect, and unable to perform his activities of daily living independently. However, his wife and adult son displayed resilience in regard to caretaking of the patient prior to the patient's residence in a nursing home setting. The family was experiencing significant caregiver burden but were reluctant to institutionalize patient. We will talk about the healthcare professional's attitudes towards this situation and how education was essential in order to support family situation. We will also talk about how engaging the community early on in the illness helped this patient stay at home longer. The current health care models are advocating for informal caregivers as a cost saving measure and this indirectly supports patient autonomy, staying at home versus as opposed to being institutionalized. And once the severity of the illness increases, we get into end of life care issues. Often in cases of patients who don't have the capacity to make decisions, end of life decisions are made using advance directives or next of kin. In cases where these resources are absent the values of the healthcare professionals often plays a more prominent role in prioritizing the various factors used to make such decisions. Engaging the families sooner will also help avoid some of these complicated situations. We will end the session by forming smaller groups and talking about difficult case scenarios where the participants felt that education and engaging families would have helped improve patient care.

A Smart, Caring, Interactive Chair Designed for Improving Emotional Support and Parent-Child Interactions to Promote Sustainable Relationships Between Elderly and Other Family Members

In this study, we implemented a four-stage service design process to analyze the home-based interaction behavior between elderly and other family members to identify hidden needs for strengthening inter-generational relationships and creating harmony as a turning point for new product innovations in home-based interactive devices. In the demand exploration stage and demand definition stage, context inquiry and service modeling were applied to understand the intergenerational relationship between the elderly and other family members and the potential needs and expectations of family interactions. The overall demand mainly includes four points: (1) the improvement in inter-generational relationships requires the active care of family members, (2) the improvement in inter-generational emotional interactions requires accurate mastery of parental responsibilities, (3) the chairing design of the living room can be used to understand and document parental life practice, and (4) big data parental lifestyle records can be analyzed. Based on hidden demands, a smart care interactive system (SCIS) with a chair was designed for improving emotional interactions and parent-child interaction between the elderly and other family members. The results of the verification experiment show that the smart care interactive chair (SCIC) can significantly help the elderly with intergenerational relationships in terms of emotional support and parent-child interactions. The family emotional support and parent-child interactions are the foundation of the sustainability of family relationships and the cornerstone of social stability.

HCV genotype 6 prevalence, spontaneous clearance and diversity among elderly members of the Li ethnic minority in Baisha County, China.

The epidemiology of hepatitis C virus varies widely across geographical regions and ethnic groups. Our previous study showed that 6 strains isolated from Baisha County, Hainan Island, China, were all new genotype 6 (gt6) subtypes which differed significantly from subtypes of other regions. In the current study, we conducted a comprehensive epidemiological survey of HCV in the Li ethnic group, native to Baisha County. Anti-HCV antibodies were detected by 2 independent ELISAs in all participants, and positive results confirmed by the recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) and HCV RNA viral loads were measured. Univariate chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the risk factors for HCV infection and spontaneous clearance rates. Indeterminate RIBA results were excluded or included in analyses; consequently, findings were expressed as a range. Direct sequencing of partial regions within NS5B and E1 was employed for genotyping. Among 1682 participants, 117 to 153 were anti-HCV positive (7.0%-9.1%), with 42.7%-52.6% confirmed to have cleared infection. Anti-HCV positivity was associated with older age (≥60years) (OR=0.02, 95% CI 0.01-0.05, P<0.01) and surgery (OR=2.75, 95% CI 1.36-5.57, P<0.01), with no significant difference found between the HCV infection group and the HCV spontaneous clearance group. The gt6 subtype distribution characteristics of Baisha County were unique, complex and diverse. The sequences did not cluster with known gt6 subtypes but formed 4 Baisha community-specific groups. HCV infection in members of the Li minority ethnic group is characterized by high prevalence rates in the elderly, high spontaneous clearance rates and broad gt6 diversity.

Exploring family, community and healthcare provider perceptions and acceptability for minimal invasive tissue sampling to identify the cause of death in under-five deaths and stillbirths in North India: a qualitative study protocol

BackgroundAround 5.4 million under-five deaths occur globally annually. Over 2.5 million neonatal deaths and an equivalent stillbirths also occur annually worldwide. India is largest contributor to these under-five deaths and stillbirths. To meet the National Health Policy goals aligned with sustainable development targets, adoption of specific strategy and interventions based on exact causes of death and stillbirths are essential. The current cause of death (CoD) labelling process is verbal autopsy based and subject to related limitations. In view of rare diagnostic autopsies, the minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) has emerged as a suitable alternate with comparable efficiency to determine CoD. But there is no experience on perception and acceptance for MITS in north Indian context. This formative research is exploring the perceptions and view of families, communities and healthcare providers regarding MITS to determine the acceptability and feasibility.MethodsThe cross-sectional study adopts exploratory qualitative research design. The study will be conducted in New Delhi linked to deaths and stillbirths occurring at a tertiary care hospital. The data from multiple stakeholders will be collected through 53–60 key-informant in-depth interviews (IDIs), 8 focus group discussions (FGDs) and 8–10 death or stillbirth event observations. The IDIs will be done with the parents, family members, community representatives, religious priests, burial site representatives and different health care providers. The FGDs will be conducted with the fathers, mothers, and elderly family members in the community. The data collection will focus on death, post-death rituals, religious practices, willingness to know CoD, acceptability of MITS and decision making dynamics. Data will be analysed following free listing, open coding, selective coding and theme identification. Subsequently 8–10 parents will be approached for consent to conduct MITS using the communication package to be developed using the findings.DiscussionThe study will provide in-depth understanding of the cultural, social, religious practices related to child death and stillbirth and factors that potentially determine acceptance of MITS. The findings will guide development of communication and counselling package and strategies for obtaining consent for MITS. The pilot experience on obtaining consent for MITS will inform suitable refinement and future practice.

The role of caregiver burden in the familial functioning, social support, and quality of family life of family caregivers of elders with dementia.

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the role that caregiver burden plays in the familial functioning, social support, and quality of family life (QOFL) of caregivers of elderly family members with dementia. Methods: A survey was conducted with 200 primary caregivers of elderly dementia patients who resided in prefecture “S”. The questionnaire consisted of items that required demographic information, the Japanese versions of the Zarit Burden Inventory (ZBI) and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (FACES II), and scales that measure quality of family life and social support. On the basis of the median ZBI score (i.e., 30.8), participants were divided into two groups: group A (i.e., ZBI score < 30) and group B (i.e., ZBI score > 30). Stepwise multiple regression analysis was conducted with QOFL as the dependent variable. Version 24 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for Windows was used to conduct all the statistical analyses; the statistical significance level was specified as 0.05. Results: Group A and B obtained average ZBI scores of 18.5 and 43.8, respectively. The study targeted 81 patients from group A (average age = 61.0 years) and 77 patients from group B (average age = 61.7 years). Time that was spent on caregiving tasks was significantly higher for group B, when compared to group A. In addition, significant differences in cohesion and adaptability, which are two dimensions that are measured by the FACES II, and QOFL emerged between the two groups. The results of the multiple regression analysis showed that cohesion (β = 0.38), practical support (β = 0.32), adaptability (β = 0.30), and living arrangement (β = −0.12) significantly predicted QOFL. Conclusion: Family cohesion and adaptability are indicators of healthy familial functioning. In order to improve the QOFL of caregivers of elderly dementia patients, it is necessary to strengthen emotional ties, maintain emotional attachment, and flexibly respond to the burden of nursing care and changes in power structures and role relationships.

Decision-Making Process for the Place of Death of Elderly Patients with Advanced Cancer and Their Families

Purpose: This study aims to understand how elderly patients with advanced cancer and their families make a decision for a place of death for the patient. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 pairs of elderly patients and members of their family. The patients had finished anticancer treatment and made some decision about the preferred place of death. A modified grounded-theory approach was used for the data analysis. Results: Making a “tentative” decision for the place of death of the elderly patients is a process with the core category [carefully choosing the final place for self-fulfillment]. The patients were “conducting a comprehensive review of the place of death” and “embracing the wishes for a way of life without difficulty”. Involving the family in making a “tentative” decision about the place of death of the elderly patients is the process with the core category [realizing the wish of patients in the terminal condition for the way for death]. The families were “examining the place of death from different aspects” and “respecting the patient’s intention as far as possible”. Conclusions: When the patients [carefully choosing the final place for self-fulfillment], it was important to reconcile their wishes with the burden on the families. When the families were trying to [realize the wish of patients in the terminal condition for the way for dying], it was important to balance the respect for the patient intentions and homecare they can provide for the patient. For the patients and their families, it is essential to mutually understand the intentions and wishes of the other party in decision making about the place of death.

Determinants of Household Catastrophic Health Expenditure: A Systematic Review.

The World Health Organization estimates that annually 150 million people experience severe (catastrophic) financial difficulties as a result of healthcare payments. Therefore, a systematic review was carried out to identify the determinants of household catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) in low-to high-income countries around the world. Both electronic and manual searches were conducted. The main outcome of interest was the determinants of CHE due to healthcare payments. Thirty eight studies met the inclusion criteria for review. The analysis revealed that household economic status, incidence of hospitalisation, presence of an elderly or disabled household member in the family, and presence of a family member with a chronic illness were the common significant factors associated with household CHE. The crucial finding of the current study is that socioeconomic inequality plays an important role in the incidence of CHE all over the world, where low-income households are at high risk of financial hardship from healthcare payments. This suggests that healthcare financing policies should be revised in order to narrow the gap in socioeconomic inequality and social safety nets should be implemented and strengthened for people who have a high need for health care.

가구 유형에 따른 한식 소비행태 분석

In recent years, many researchers have examined the relationship between the types of households and dietary patterns as the family structure changes. Changes in the dietary patterns have recently been emphasized to promote traditional values and the level of consumption of domestic agricultural products. Given these observations, a need for research on the linkages between the types of households and dietary choices especially in the context of Korean traditional dietary choices can be addressed. This study focuses on the consumption patterns of Korean food, called Hansik, according to the household types using the 2013∼2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANS) data. The residence area, age, monthly income level and education level of households contributed significantly to the Hansik consumption rate. The major results from empirical analysis were also highlighted. First, a single-person household had a 2.51% higher Hansik consumption rate than a member of two or more-person households. Second, members of households with children showed a 0.88% higher Hansik consumption rate than members of households without children. Third, elderly household members had a 1.27% higher Hansik consumption rate than non-elderly household members. The analysis also showed that single-person households (—0.0251) had a negative impact on the Hansik consumption rate, whereas elderly households (0.0127) made a positive contribution to the Hansik consumption rate. This suggests that elderly households living alone are likely to consume less Hansik than elderly households living with family members. The tailor-made strategies are needed for each household to efficiently increase the Hansik consumption.

IMPLEMENTATION OF SMART MONITORING SYSTEM WITH FALL DECTECTOR FOR ELDERLY USING IOT TECHNOLOGY

Current global statistics shows that increasing number of elderly people live alone. Considering this unavoidable situation, a smart IoT system that can ease young family members to monitor their elderly family member from anywhere has been proposed. In this paper, the system uses a low-cost single board computer, named Raspberry Pi, with embedded webcam to perform 24 hours monitoring is demonstrated. A fall incident can be detected by a captured video that will be processed using an image processing technique. This fall detection is done by several basic activities; separating moving objects from the background, calculating the parameters for these areas and finally, fall detection itself. The fall detector is essential for elderly person monitoring since most of them suffer from chronic diseases and thus need more attention from their young family members. The system can also send notification to the user using social media application when detecting fall incidents in the monitoring area. Video captured by the system will be stored in cloud server, so that it can be used for any incident investigation in the future. By using the system, incidents such as death of elderly family members can be avoided by notifying fall incidents to family members that might be away from home.

Assessment of Health Literacy and Health Risk Behaviors among Elderly at Assiut City Egypt

Elderly people with inadequate health literacy less mindful of health behaviors significance. Study 1: assess health literacy and health risk behaviors among elderly people in Assiut city. Design: descriptive design was utilized in this study. Settings: the study carried out at two geriatric clubs in Assiut city (Geriatric club in Legitimacy Assembly and Geriatric club of Islamic cultural center). Convenient sample was used after (Total coverage of all elderly club members who agreed to participate in the study were included in the study, their number were 200 elderly participants aged 60 years and above). Four tools were used. Tool I: self administrative questionnaire sheet: include personal characteristics and health risk behaviors related questions. Tool II: body mass index calculation. Tool III: assessment of health literacy scale to assess health literacy level. Tool IV: Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine Scale to assess health literacy grade. Results: 75% of elderly participants had inadequate level of health literacy, also there was statistical significant difference between health literacy level and age P=0.034. Conclusion: inadequate health literacy associated with health risk behaviors and over counter medications. Recommendation: Periodical educational program for elderly people to increase health literacy level about health risk behaviors.

A pilot study assessing the burden of caregivers of elderly patients at University College Hospital UCH.

12 Background: Caregiver burden is defined as “the perception of stress and fatigue caused by the sustained effort required in caring for persons with chronic illness or other conditions with special needs for care”. It is a type of stress or strain experienced by caregivers, which is directly/ indirectly related to the challenges/problems they face as a result of the health status of the person cared for. Stucki et al. 2000, described the carers burden as “strain or load borne by a person who cares for a chronically ill, disabled, or elderly family member”. Caregiver burden is response to physical, psychological, emotional, social, and financial stressors associated with the caregiving in a multidimensional way. It is the psychosocial and physical reaction to the imbalance of demands placed on the caregiver by various factors, including personal time, multiple roles, physical and emotional states, financial resources, and formal care resources. The caregiver's perception of the burden, rather than the perception of other family members or healthcare providers, determines the impact of this burden on his or her life. Methods: Caregivers of elderly patients attending the geriatric and medical outpatient’s clinics at UCH completed a caregiver strain index scale, over a 2 month period. Demographic information regarding gender, age, were obtained and scaled questions were ticked. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS statistics 21. Results: Eighty-five participants completed the caregiver strain index scale. The socio-demographic data described age and gender. Most participants fell in the 31 - 40 and 41 - 50 age groups (41.2% for each group). Fifty-eight (68.2%) were females while 27 (31.8%) were males. Most common strain variable was demand on time with percentage 54.1% (46). Twenty-nine (34.1%) had moderate level of stress (4 - 6) , while 32 (37.6%) had mild level of stress, and 17 (20.0%) had high level of stress. One participant had the highest score index was 11 while 13 (15.3%) had scores of 3 and 13 (15.3%) had scores of 5. Conclusions: The study showed that caregivers of elderly patients have high burden in the demand on their time and need supportive/collaborative systems which includes palliative care to help with the task of caring for these elderly ones.